In Pictures: Understanding our ocean
To protect our ocean, we need to understand why we are losing our coral reefs in Indonesia, why our glaciers are receding in Greenland, and why invasive species are on the rise in Italy.
Photograph by Kiliii Yuyan
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CONTEMPLATING CORAL
RAJA AMPAT, INDONESIA
The Raja Ampat archipelago in Indonesia is considered to be the global epicenter of marine biodiversity on our planet. It is also a glowing conservation success story. National Geographic Explorer Titouan Bernicot sits among corals in Raja Ampat’s Dampier Strait. Bernicot founded Coral Gardeners in his native Tahiti and is spearheading cutting edge coral reef regeneration projects and awareness about the threats facing coral reefs everywhere. According to IOC/UNESCO, we risk losing all World Heritage reefs by 2100 unless we drastically reduce carbon emissions. However, the interconnected reef systems of Raja Ampat and others like them may be more resistant to warming ocean temperatures.
The Raja Ampat archipelago in Indonesia is considered to be the global epicenter of marine biodiversity on our planet. It is also a glowing conservation success story. National Geographic Explorer Titouan Bernicot sits among corals in Raja Ampat’s Dampier Strait. Bernicot founded Coral Gardeners in his native Tahiti and is spearheading cutting edge coral reef regeneration projects and awareness about the threats facing coral reefs everywhere. According to IOC/UNESCO, we risk losing all World Heritage reefs by 2100 unless we drastically reduce carbon emissions. However, the interconnected reef systems of Raja Ampat and others like them may be more resistant to warming ocean temperatures.
PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVID DOUBILET & JENNIFER HAYES
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REEF & RAINFOREST
RAJA AMPAT, INDONESIA
Raja Ampat is an archipelago of 1,500 islands off the coast of West Papua, Indonesia. 75 percent of all coral species on the planet are found here, as well as more than 1,400 species of reef fish. Sitting in the middle of the Indonesian Throughflow—a current that connects the Pacific and Indian Oceans—Raja Ampat’s mix of fringing reefs, atolls and barrier reefs are subjected to major fluctuations in water temperature, possibly making them more resistant to ocean warming.
Raja Ampat is an archipelago of 1,500 islands off the coast of West Papua, Indonesia. 75 percent of all coral species on the planet are found here, as well as more than 1,400 species of reef fish. Sitting in the middle of the Indonesian Throughflow—a current that connects the Pacific and Indian Oceans—Raja Ampat’s mix of fringing reefs, atolls and barrier reefs are subjected to major fluctuations in water temperature, possibly making them more resistant to ocean warming.
Photograph by David Doubilet & Jennifer Hayes
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CORAL CUSTODIANS
RAJA AMPAT, INDONESIA
Usal shows a young girl how a Buoyancy Control Device works. As a young girl, she would see scuba divers diving the reef in front of her village Arborek. Today she is a dive guide and keen conservationist. Local communities in Raja Ampat have turned away from destructive fishing practices like shark finning and dynamite fishing introduced by foreign fishers and markets, instead employing “sasi” (ancestral practices of reef tenure and conservation) to protect their reefs for future generations.
Usal shows a young girl how a Buoyancy Control Device works. As a young girl, she would see scuba divers diving the reef in front of her village Arborek. Today she is a dive guide and keen conservationist. Local communities in Raja Ampat have turned away from destructive fishing practices like shark finning and dynamite fishing introduced by foreign fishers and markets, instead employing “sasi” (ancestral practices of reef tenure and conservation) to protect their reefs for future generations.
Photograph by David Doubilet & Jennifer Hayes
Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
TURTLE SANCTUARY
RAJA AMPAT, INDONESIA
All seven of the world’s turtle species are endangered. Six of those species are found in Raja Ampat, including the critically endangered Hawksbill turtle. Turtles play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance of coral reefs. They are big consumers of jellyfish, which feed on tropical fish species. They also excrete nutrient rich waste, which coral polyps then feed on so they can continue to build their carbonate skeletons.
All seven of the world’s turtle species are endangered. Six of those species are found in Raja Ampat, including the critically endangered Hawksbill turtle. Turtles play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance of coral reefs. They are big consumers of jellyfish, which feed on tropical fish species. They also excrete nutrient rich waste, which coral polyps then feed on so they can continue to build their carbonate skeletons.
PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVID DOUBILET & JENNIFER HAYES
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SHARK NURSERY
RAJA AMPAT, INDONESIA
This shark nursery at Papua Diving resort releases rare zebra sharks back into the wild. Over the last few decades, marine life in Raja Ampat has bucked global trends by actually increasing. This is thanks to NGOs, local communities, and government working together to better understand the bioregion so as to effectively manage and enforce marine protected areas. In 2013, Raja Ampat was declared a manta ray and shark sanctuary and since then, numbers of both species have increased. Raja Ampat also generates significant funds from eco-tourism.
This shark nursery at Papua Diving resort releases rare zebra sharks back into the wild. Over the last few decades, marine life in Raja Ampat has bucked global trends by actually increasing. This is thanks to NGOs, local communities, and government working together to better understand the bioregion so as to effectively manage and enforce marine protected areas. In 2013, Raja Ampat was declared a manta ray and shark sanctuary and since then, numbers of both species have increased. Raja Ampat also generates significant funds from eco-tourism.
Photograph by David Doubilet & Jennifer Hayes
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NATURE DATA
NUUK FJORD, GREENLAND
The knowledge systems of Arctic indigenous peoples offer a more holistic view of nature, science and the causes of climate change. Scientists affiliated with the University of Greenland use this research outpost to gather data related to the changing climate. Parts of the Arctic are warming up to four times faster than the rest of the world, and Greenland’s melting ice sheet is one of the biggest contributors to sea level rise globally. But while scientists tend to come here to study climate change, the Greenlandic Inuit who have lived here for generations are witnessing their world changing in real time. And their observations matter.
The knowledge systems of Arctic indigenous peoples offer a more holistic view of nature, science and the causes of climate change. Scientists affiliated with the University of Greenland use this research outpost to gather data related to the changing climate. Parts of the Arctic are warming up to four times faster than the rest of the world, and Greenland’s melting ice sheet is one of the biggest contributors to sea level rise globally. But while scientists tend to come here to study climate change, the Greenlandic Inuit who have lived here for generations are witnessing their world changing in real time. And their observations matter.
Photograph by Kiliii Yuyan
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A PART OF NATURE
NUUK FJORD, GREENLAND
National Geographic Explorer Kiliii Yuyan photographs Inuit microbiologist Assistant Professor Aviaja Lyberth Hauptmann as she picks berries in the Arctic tundra near the capital Nuuk. Assistant Professor Hauptmann is developing a biology program at the University of Greenland that combines indigenous principles with classical science. She explains that our microbiomes connect us to nature—and similarly, traditional Inuit cosmology conceives nature and human as inseparable.
National Geographic Explorer Kiliii Yuyan photographs Inuit microbiologist Assistant Professor Aviaja Lyberth Hauptmann as she picks berries in the Arctic tundra near the capital Nuuk. Assistant Professor Hauptmann is developing a biology program at the University of Greenland that combines indigenous principles with classical science. She explains that our microbiomes connect us to nature—and similarly, traditional Inuit cosmology conceives nature and human as inseparable.
Photograph by Kiliii Yuyan
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OCEAN FOOD CHAIN
NUUK FJORD, GREENLAND
The traditional Greenlandic diet is predominantly marine-based, while fishing accounts for over 90 percent of exports from the country. For Assistant Professor Hauptmann, hunting and fishing connects Greenlanders to their environment both physically and emotionally. Raw and fermented foods transmit microbes between species—from fish through seals to humans, for example—while eating from nature also fosters a stronger sense of connection with it.
The traditional Greenlandic diet is predominantly marine-based, while fishing accounts for over 90 percent of exports from the country. For Assistant Professor Hauptmann, hunting and fishing connects Greenlanders to their environment both physically and emotionally. Raw and fermented foods transmit microbes between species—from fish through seals to humans, for example—while eating from nature also fosters a stronger sense of connection with it.
Photograph by Kiliii Yuyan
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MEASURING NUTRIENTS
NUUK FJORD, GREENLAND
Senior scientist Thomas Juul-Pedersen from the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources takes water samples from a glacial river that feeds the Nuuk Fjord. This is part of a long-term data gathering project examining fluctuations in the downstream effects of nutrients like phosphate, silicate, and nitrogen on marine microorganisms, which are a crucial part of the marine food web. Retreating glaciers could impact the intensity of these nutrients, creating a ripple effect through the marine ecosystem.
Senior scientist Thomas Juul-Pedersen from the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources takes water samples from a glacial river that feeds the Nuuk Fjord. This is part of a long-term data gathering project examining fluctuations in the downstream effects of nutrients like phosphate, silicate, and nitrogen on marine microorganisms, which are a crucial part of the marine food web. Retreating glaciers could impact the intensity of these nutrients, creating a ripple effect through the marine ecosystem.
Photograph by Kiliii Yuyan
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SENSE OF SILA
NUUK, GREENLAND
The aurora borealis lights up the night sky over Nuuk. The Inuk word “sila” means many things—weather, wind, consciousness, spirit. For Assistant Professor Aviaja Lyberth Hauptmann, “sila” reminds us that everything is connected. For her, humans are scrambling to combat the symptoms of climate change, but failing to address its root causes, which lie in the growing disconnect between humans and the natural world. She hopes her new “sila” biology program can address this by embracing indigenous concepts alongside hard science.
The aurora borealis lights up the night sky over Nuuk. The Inuk word “sila” means many things—weather, wind, consciousness, spirit. For Assistant Professor Aviaja Lyberth Hauptmann, “sila” reminds us that everything is connected. For her, humans are scrambling to combat the symptoms of climate change, but failing to address its root causes, which lie in the growing disconnect between humans and the natural world. She hopes her new “sila” biology program can address this by embracing indigenous concepts alongside hard science.
Photograph by Kiliii Yuyan
Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
BLUE CRAB CATCH
SCARDOVARI, ITALY
Invasive Atlantic blue crabs are disrupting ecosystems across the Mediterranean. In Italy, clam fishers are now catching the crabs—but they need a bigger market. Meri Boscolo and her father Massimo bring up a cage of Atlantic blue crabs from their fishing grounds in the Adriatic Sea. The Boscolo family has fished for clams and eels for generations. They were among the first to start fishing for Atlantic blue crabs. When the crabs first appeared, Massimo saw them as an opportunity. But their numbers have exploded in recent years, sending market prices tumbling and threatening endemic fisheries.
Invasive Atlantic blue crabs are disrupting ecosystems across the Mediterranean. In Italy, clam fishers are now catching the crabs—but they need a bigger market. Meri Boscolo and her father Massimo bring up a cage of Atlantic blue crabs from their fishing grounds in the Adriatic Sea. The Boscolo family has fished for clams and eels for generations. They were among the first to start fishing for Atlantic blue crabs. When the crabs first appeared, Massimo saw them as an opportunity. But their numbers have exploded in recent years, sending market prices tumbling and threatening endemic fisheries.
Photograph by Jen Guyton
Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
SHELLFISH SHELLACKING
SCARDOVARI, ITALY
Massimo and Meri Boscolo from Scardovari village on the Po River delta shows the empty clam shells he has just extracted from the sea bed. Atlantic blue crabs got there first. This region produces Europe’s biggest harvest of vongole (clams)—around 15,000 tons every year. But the crabs are eating everything in their wake, threatening the livelihoods of thousands of fishing families that harvest vongole as well as catching other endemic marine species from the lagoon.
Massimo and Meri Boscolo from Scardovari village on the Po River delta shows the empty clam shells he has just extracted from the sea bed. Atlantic blue crabs got there first. This region produces Europe’s biggest harvest of vongole (clams)—around 15,000 tons every year. But the crabs are eating everything in their wake, threatening the livelihoods of thousands of fishing families that harvest vongole as well as catching other endemic marine species from the lagoon.
PHOTOGRAPH BY JEN GUYTON
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ATLANTIC INVADER
SCARDOVARI, ITALY
National Geographic Photographer and Explorer Elisabetta Zavoli has been documenting the Atlantic blue crab invasion in Italy and its impacts on ecosystems and livelihoods. The crabs are thought to have arrived in the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal and carried in the ballast water of ships, and quickly spread throughout the eastern Mediterranean. In the Americas, the crab has long been a popular foodstuff—but is not historically part of Italian food culture.
National Geographic Photographer and Explorer Elisabetta Zavoli has been documenting the Atlantic blue crab invasion in Italy and its impacts on ecosystems and livelihoods. The crabs are thought to have arrived in the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal and carried in the ballast water of ships, and quickly spread throughout the eastern Mediterranean. In the Americas, the crab has long been a popular foodstuff—but is not historically part of Italian food culture.
Photograph by Jen Guyton
Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
GOURMET CRUSTACEAN
VENICE, ITALY
At Venissa Restaurant, chef team Chiara Pavan and Francesco Bruto create Michelin star dishes using invasive species like the Atlantic Blue Crab. Pavan’s goal is to support local fishing communities and to try and to use the restaurant’s reputation to influence the food culture in Italy, reducing the pressure on endemic species. Besides being sustainable, she says the crab’s meat is sweet and versatile to cook with.
At Venissa Restaurant, chef team Chiara Pavan and Francesco Bruto create Michelin star dishes using invasive species like the Atlantic Blue Crab. Pavan’s goal is to support local fishing communities and to try and to use the restaurant’s reputation to influence the food culture in Italy, reducing the pressure on endemic species. Besides being sustainable, she says the crab’s meat is sweet and versatile to cook with.
Photograph by Jen Guyton
Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
CHANGING MEDITERRANEAN
SCARDOVARI, ITALY
An abandoned clam farm off the coast of Scardovari. For now, there is no clear way to eradicate Atlantic blue crabs from Italy and the rest of the Mediterranean—or even to make a significant dent in their numbers. Efforts are underway to build an export market, ironically back to America, as well as to introduce the crabs in supermarkets across Italy. But given the sheer number of crabs in this part of the Adriatic, the Government is gradually incentivizing fishing businesses to catch and destroy the crabs.
Find out more about understanding our ocean in order to save it here.
An abandoned clam farm off the coast of Scardovari. For now, there is no clear way to eradicate Atlantic blue crabs from Italy and the rest of the Mediterranean—or even to make a significant dent in their numbers. Efforts are underway to build an export market, ironically back to America, as well as to introduce the crabs in supermarkets across Italy. But given the sheer number of crabs in this part of the Adriatic, the Government is gradually incentivizing fishing businesses to catch and destroy the crabs.
Find out more about understanding our ocean in order to save it here.
Photograph by Jen Guyton